Step II Importance

[BuffaloBillsRule]

How important are Step II scores in the residency application process? Esp if you feel confident about your Step I scores?

Basically, I need to figure out how hard I should study for II, because I worked my tail off for Step I and if it's not vital don't want to have to use my summer fully to ace Step II.

-Bledsoe

[AceTabulum]

If you feel real confident about Step I scores, then take Step II as late as you can. However, don't blow off Step II as it could make a difference. I was never asked about either step score although it is generall understood that many programs use Step I scores as part of their cut-off in deciding who to interview. (Have to have some way to pick 50 interviewees out of 600 applications). If you had not done quite as well on Step I then I'd advocate taking Step II early so that scores would be back before interviews. Any way you look at it, the better you do on Step II is better for you as an applicant. Good luck

[bonedoc]

I agree, if you did well on step 1, go ahead and put off step 2 till later (late fall/winter if you want, depends on when your particular school wants it taken by) that way if do, err, dont put any effort into it compared to step one you wont have interviewers asking "gee is your step one score a mistake, cause you sure sucked on step 2". Of course if your step one score is lacking in its brilliance, taking step 2 early AND kicking ass will help. I did well on step one, put off step 2 till late october, and only a few of my last interviews had the scores (ends up i actually did a point better!).

[ortho2003]

One piece of anecdotal evidence for taking step II early regardless of your step one score. A guy I know that recently matched in Rads scored in the 230's on step I, but decided to take step II early anyway. He scored in the 260's. He had to PDs tell him what a great step II score that was and that he wouldn't have been interviewing if he didn't have that score. That was rads and not ortho, but I think taking step II early can be an advantage. If you score the same or better on step II, release it, if not, don't release it and tell anyone that asks that you are waiting for your scores.

[BigPiece]

Looking at past posts, it appears that many if not most of the programs did not ask or give 2 hoots about Step Deuce, that is if you did not have it (sure it can only help if do well on it. That being said, what is the deal? If I take it early and do slightly worse or even suck arse is anybody going to know my score or know that I took it or can one simply leave it off the application and everyone assume, because they know no better, that you haven't taken it or scores aren't back yet? Guess I would like to take it earlier than later to stop the bleeding of info from my head but prefer not to bust ass studying for it worrying about my score other than Pass.

[DRSTEEL]

So you can transmit STEP 1 scores, take step 2, and programs won't know your score unless you submit them? Sounds like a win-win situation...

[OrthoBoy]

DRSTEEL-
well kinda, but here is the catch....on the ERAS application they are going to ask you if you took step 2 or if you are scheduled to take it and when.

[BigPiece]

Alright, so the question many of us are wondering, Has anyone taken Step II early enough for it to be available during interviews, scored worse on it than Step I and felt that they missed out on a program or not as competitive because of it? :sick:

[BuffaloBillsRule]

How do you decide to release or not release scores? It wasn't on the application. Is it on the day of test form (I don't remember from Step I). Then, once you get your score do you then release it? One way or another it gets to programs, does holding onto it just allow me to decide whether or not to share the score with the programs prior to applying?

For better or worse, Step II is now scheduled for August. Taking the year off for research tho so won't be applying til 2003. Figure the stuff will stick in my head better taking it right after all my cores instead of waiting for 12-18mo after them.

Bledsoe

[BoneBlaster]

there is a segment on ERAS when you submit your USMLE scores. included in this release are two questions. read them carefully. you can choose to release all scores that the USMLE has right now and to not release anymore until you request again.

example. i released my step I score, but did not give them permission to release any scores that came after my ERAS USMLE transcript release date. then i got my step II back (scored higher than step I) and rereleased the USMLE transcript to include it. as far as filling out the ERAS application, i put that i would be taking it in december, but in actuality took it in august due to an unexpected opening in my schedule. if they see you are not supposed to take it until december or beyond, they won't even be looking for it.

[OrthoDreamer]

ORTHO2003 - Just wondering what your friend did to increase his Step II by 30 points?!! I am taking Step II early and would love any advice to increase my score over my Step I.
Thanks... :smokin:

[ortho2003]

He didn't do anything special. He read blue prints for every clerkship during the year and reviewed those and used NMS for the exam. His take was Step II was much mroe clinical and he was better at the clinical exam than the basic science (step I) exam. Good luck. I should be getting my little orange slip in the mail today or tomorrow. I am planniing on taking it in August.